Eats, Shoots and Leaves

from JoeUser Forums

I'm reading 'Eats, Soots and Leaves', the book about punctuation misuse and abuse ( I got it at the thrift store for a dime which makes me incredibly happy, but that's a whole other blog).

The book mentions an 'Apostrophe Protection Society'.  At first I thought it was a joke, but I went and Googled it...and it's a real organization!   Link

The above link is to the 'examples' page.....it's full of pictures of signs that people have put on display that are full of punctuation abuse and grammatical errors.  It's funny, but cringe-inducing...we all make mistakes from time to time, but some of the examples lead me to wonder if some people have any idea at all what the apostrophe is for and how the comma and apostrophe are NOT interchangeable.

Citahellion would adore it...

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Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top

I once got a the job of SA at a State Library because I knew the difference between its and it's!

Long live the apostrophe!

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
What I've always found somewhat disturbing is well educated people who couldn't spell or punctuate correctly. I suppose that's why the secretary was invented.
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
While I do know the difference between and apostrophe and a comma, I've been dying to get this book. Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to put it on my library list! Or maybe I can find it somewhere for a dime...what a bargain!
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I still intend to get it, although I suspect it has nothing to teach me... I've just been trying to work through my backlog of SF books first. (Which is going pretty well, I think I'm down to the single digits of books still to go.)
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

What I've always found somewhat disturbing is well educated people who couldn't spell or punctuate correctly. I suppose that's why the secretary was invented.

Why "disturbing" MasonM? There are disorders that prevent otherwise intelligent people from being able to spell correctly, etc. And spell-check isn't perfect either, as I'm sure we've all experienced!

 

Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

Why "disturbing" MasonM? There are disorders that prevent otherwise intelligent people from being able to spell correctly, etc.

That's very true.  I also know people who write perfectly and sound like complete idiots in person.  Dyslexia is very hard to control while writing and typing.  Words will look "right" even when they are not.  I have alpha-numeric dyslexia......I absolutely HATE serial numbers that I have to type in.

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
once got a the job of SA at a State Library because I knew the difference between its and it's!

W00T!!!

Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to put it on my library list! Or maybe I can find it somewhere for a dime...what a bargain!

Amamzon has some used ones for sale pretty cheap!



I still intend to get it, although I suspect it has nothing to teach me...

Actually, I think that you might be able to teach IT a thing or two! I just thought you might feel somewhat at home with the author and her compadres...some of them are more gramitcally anal than yourself!


What I've always found somewhat disturbing is well educated people who couldn't spell or punctuate correctly. I suppose that's why the secretary was invented.

Why "disturbing" MasonM? There are disorders that prevent otherwise intelligent people from being able to spell correctly, etc


Yep. Dyslexia is a bitch....people who are verbally incredibly bright can't transfer that to text. It's a real shame...


Dyslexia is very hard to control while writing and typing. Words will look "right" even when they are not.


Exactly. My brother had a mild dyslexia...used to get his b's and d's mixed up all the time.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm guilty of spelling mishaps sometimes too. And I could have sworn I was a great speller!

What gets me sometimes also is the speed typing that sometimes results in typos!
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Why "disturbing" MasonM? There are disorders that prevent otherwise intelligent people from being able to spell correctly, etc.


I'm not talking about people with dyslexia. I'm talking about people who can't spell or use punctuation who are supposed to be well educated. Not everyone who is weak in a certain area has a "disorder" in spite of what some would like us to believe.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top

Not everyone who is weak in a certain area has a "disorder" in spite of what some would like us to believe.

This is also true.  The thing that really scares me is the amount of young people (ie high schoolers, college students) who have horrendous spelling and grammatical skills.  These kids are the future of America, yet they don't know the difference between 'their, there or they're'!

I'm guilty of spelling mishaps sometimes too. And I could have sworn I was a great speller!

I am as well.  A lot of times it's because of the typing speed thing, I make mistakes.  In fact, I made a mistake in the article....!

Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
The thing that really scares me is the amount of young people (ie high schoolers, college students) who have horrendous spelling and grammatical skills. These kids are the future of America, yet they don't know the difference between 'their, there or they're'!


I agree. These days in education it is considered far more important to pass a student to avoid damaging their "self image" than in making sure they actually learn. One reason I quit teaching after two years.

What gets me sometimes also is the speed typing that sometimes results in typos!


I don't make typos, but sometimes the keys move around on me.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm not talking about people with dyslexia. I'm talking about people who can't spell or use punctuation who are supposed to be well educated. Not everyone who is weak in a certain area has a "disorder" in spite of what some would like us to believe.


This is true, but how do you know the difference?

I don't make typos, but sometimes the keys move around on me.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
but sometimes the keys move around on me.


When this happens you need to lower the dosage on the pain medication, or take some! ha, ha....
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm not talking about people with dyslexia. I'm talking about people who can't spell or use punctuation who are supposed to be well educated. Not everyone who is weak in a certain area has a "disorder" in spite of what some would like us to believe.


This is true, but how do you know the difference?


I know. Possibly by having them take the official tests to decipher same?!

Well, how about this. Am I dyslexic when I look at someone directly and I can't for the life of me remember their name for a few minutes? I guess it just means I'm getting old!
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
This is true, but how do you know the difference?

Actually, as I'm not a physician, I don't need to know the difference.

When this happens you need to lower the dosage on the pain medication, or take some! ha, ha...

Better typing through modern chemistry?
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
Better typing through modern chemistry?


It's like this Mason, if the keys are moving around you....then you either need to take medication to see straight or lower dosage since it's making you see double! Just a joke!
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
Well, how about this. Am I dyslexic when I look at someone directly and I can't for the life of me remember their name for a few minutes? I guess it just means I'm getting old!


Or that you dont want to?
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
Am I dyslexic when I look at someone directly and I can't for the life of me remember their name for a few minutes?


This is a condition similar to Alzheimers called Sometimers.

They say the memory is the first thing to go.

I forget what's second.
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
When I was in Monterey, Ca. I found out that mispellings and grammar mistakes were illegal on public signs in Carmel. There was actually one business that was tied up in court for two years before they could put a sign out, because the It's in their name was ambiguous and could go either way..........

Oh yeah, they also made streetlights and mailboxes illegal. Weird, but very pretty place...........
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top

Am I dyslexic when I look at someone directly and I can't for the life of me remember their name for a few minutes?


This is a condition similar to Alzheimers called Sometimers.

They say the memory is the first thing to go.

I forget what's second.


Like me, suffers from CRS (Can't Remember Shit) syndrome.
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
Eats, Shoots and Leaves is a great book. I've read it a couple of times now. The other really good book along these lines is Death Sentance by Don Watson, which explores the decay of the English language in very funny but very real terms. I'm sure you would enjoy this one as well.

T is a card-carrying member of the Apostrophe Protection Society. She has seen press releases from well-respected media companies where the grammar and punctuation are no better than a primary school student. I think part of the problem is a lot of people are busy and rely too heavily on spell and grammar checkers, me included.